Smooth Sailing

So Paleo, a caveman would eat it.

Congratulations Paleo challengers you've made it to the final week of the Sweet Cheeks Paleo Challenge! You are now all official Cavemen! : ) And what healthy Cavemen you are. Here's some of what you neanderthals are saying:

"I love it and I feel better than ever and have easily lost weight."

"Due to illness I have been unable to train so I didn't expect much. Imagine my surprise when I stepped on the scale and discovered I had lost 8 pounds. I'm looking forward to making this a permanent lifestyle."

"Feeling great, yesterday my Endurance class was really good, running a 5K felt so good! For me it's all about how I feel, don't have much weight to lose, but I am feeling great when I get up in the morning, when I work out......it's really a great feeling!!!!!!!"

"My waist size measures 1.5 " LESS than when I started this Paleo Challenge. Woo Hoo!!"

Awesome, awesome and more awesome!

This week put it on cruise control, sit back and reap the Paleo benefits! Continue on with all the good habits we've put into fruition this past month - no sugar, dairy, grains, legumes or processed foods.

And then on the 4th of July, throw caution to the wind and eat your face off. Drink beer, gorge on barbecue chicken, potato salad and flag cake! Enjoy every single second of it because the next day you may not be feeling so well. As delicious as a flag cake is, it was not a diet staple of the old school Cavepeople. Hopefully your belly ache will motivate you to continue on with Paleo as a permanent part of your daily eating. And I mean that in the nicest way.

Shrimp "Pad Thai"

1 pound of cooked large shrimp unfrozen

1/2 head of cabbage finely shredded or sliced

1 onion finely sliced

1 green pepper and 1 red pepper, sliced into strips

1 bunch of green onions, sliced into 2 inch pieces (separate whites from greens)

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped cashews

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

3 Tablespoons sesame oil

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce

1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 fresh limes, squeezed

First fry the scrambled eggs in a skillet and then slice into strips and set aside.

Next heat a large skillet with the coconut oil and add cabbage, peppers, onion and the whites from the green onions. Saute at medium high heat until the vegetables are tender.

As the veggies are cooking, in a small bowl mix together sesame oil, olive oil, Sriracha sauce, ginger and lime. This is your sauce.

Then add the green part of the green onions, egg strips, shrimp and sauce. Mix together well and stir until the shrimp are hot.

Sprinkle with cashews.

Enjoy!

Inspired by Primal Mama

Summer, summer, summertiiiimmmmme!

Add some crunch by stuffing the salad in a raw red pepper!

It's time for the beach and bikinis and surfing and biking and boating and bonfires and barbecues, barbecues, barbecues!! Don't let all the fun get in the way of your healthy habits. There are plenty of ways to re-vamp old school dishes into contemporary Paleo friendly plates. Contemporary Paleo...hmmmm, I think that's an oxymoron! But I like it.

Guacamole Chicken Salad

No need to load up your chicken salad with mayo! Avocado and olive oil keep this dish moist.

3 cups cooked, diced chicken breast


2 tablespoons minced leeks


3 small avocado, peeled, pitted and finely chopped


2 medium tomato, cored and diced


1 minced small green chile

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice


1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Saute leeks in a splash of olive oil for about 2 minutes. Combine chicken, leeks, avocados, tomatoes and chile in a big bowl. Stir together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper separately and then pour over the salad. Stir everything together gently but well.

Enjoy!

Choices....... so many choices

Changes, life is all about changes and choices! It truly is a wonderful thing that we have choices! I often have to remind myself that if I choose something it's not permanent. I can decide an hour later or the next day that I want something different. This month has tested all of you and your ability to choose what you want to do with your food choices. We want you to remember where you are right now IS where you're at. Don't let yesterday or tomorrow get in the way of what is happening right now. You cannot change what is in the past, all you can do is live right now. So, take care of yourself, do what's right for YOU. If you chose to drink your wine, DO It, if you choose to enjoy ice cream occasionally, DO IT. If cutting out dairy doesn't work for you, DON'T DO IT. We want you to live a healthy and happy life and there is no perfect way to eat for everyone. Find what makes you happy! It's about finding balance in your life and what works for you!

This week as we continue the Paleo challenge we are asking you to exclude any processed foods from your diet. If you hadn't eliminated them yet, this is your time. This means stuff in packages. If you didn't whip it up in your kitchen, maybe you shouldn't eat it. By now you should be used to prepping your own food and hopefully you are learning about what you like and don't like. We'll keep providing your with inspiration and recipes and you keep doing what you're doing.

Speaking of choices I made a lovely summer salsa in which you can be creative with yourself. Take some of your favorite vegetables or fruits or ingredients on hand and whip this tasty stuff up. I served it on salmon for dinner and my eggs in the morning! DELICIOUS

Summer Salsa

6 baby summer squash (they are tooooo cute)

5 heirloom cherry tomatoes

1 small handful of fresh basil leaves, hand torn please!

1 green onion- sliced, white and greens

sea salt

olive oil

Chop up your baby squash, cook in a fry pan with olive oil for just a couple minutes. Take squash and put in bowl-let cool down. Toss with tomatoes, basil, green onions, and salt. This is enough for a couple meals, depends on how much you use, so if you need more, just double it up!

Carnivorous Cheeks

Didn't even miss my meat.

I've been eating a lot of meat lately. Chicken, fish, shrimp, eggs, you name it! So today I've decided to get my veggie on! Vegetarian Cheeks.

Piri Piri and Broccoli Rabe

Piri Piri is a Portuguese condiment that's just delicious on vegetables (or meat!)

1 large roasted red bell pepper

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar


½ teaspoon sea salt


⅛ teaspoon pepper


1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil


1 package or bunch of broccoli rabe


To make piri piri, combine red pepper, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic.

In large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium heat.

Chop rabe into large pieces, add to pan and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook for about for 4 minutes or until desired crunchiness.

Add piri piri sauce and toss all together. Cook for about 1 minute more until everything is hot.

Enjoy!

Inspired by All Recipes.

Snack attack!!

Looks like hummus, tastes like hummus, Paleo hummus!

Congratulations challengers!! it's week three of the Sweet Cheeks Paleo Challenge! We've been getting great feedback from you so far and we're super duper proud of you! This week we're tacking on TWO more - no grains and no legumes (Which includes peanuts, beans and soy).

Two of the most common questions I'm going to address are 1. why no legumes? and 2. if you don't eat grains, what do you eat?!

First off, legumes. We all remember the childhood song "Beans, beans good for the heart! The more you eat, the more y..." well you know the rest of it! So why on earth are we giving up beans? The answer is in the song folks! Just the fact that they can cause gastrointestinal distress should be enough for our concern.

I'm gonna get a little scientific on you, ready? Legumes are high in lectins, protease inhibitors and phytates. Although beans have been pegged as the healthy protein alternative to meat, they in fact may actually make protein deficiency worse! Protease inhibitors actually interfere with the breakdown of proteins into amino acids. Poor vegetarians are just flat out of luck! Phytates are known to inhibit the absorption of important minerals such as calcium magnesium, iron and zinc in our digestive tracts. And lectins are a culprit found in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Along with making you...ahem... gassy, most legumes are actually poisonous if eaten raw. Does this mean cavemen never tooted??!

Secondly, sans grains what does one eat. Some of you may remember our first no grains challenge so you already know there is plenty of grub that's grain free to choose from. Please turn around and hug someone who is giving up grains for the first time and let them know everything is gonna be alright. Heehee! People, don't freak out, you don't have to give up your favorite breads or muffins, just modify! Instead of cooking with flour, substitute almond meal or coconut flour. Find inspiration in our cinnamon bun muffins, coconut blueberry cakes and banana pancakes !! Sounds too good to be true, I know, but I promise, it's grain free! When grains go, a lot of folks are also stumped with what to snack on. Well lucky for you this post is dedicated to the munchies! Please find an appropriate snack and go to town.

Before I get to the food I want to remind everyone of one more very important message. As with all of our challenges, take this one to whatever level works best for YOU. I want you to be successful. I want this challenge to teach you about healthy lifestyle choices that will stay with you after our challenge is over. I want you to be happy and look forward to eating. There are a lot of foods we are limiting beginning this week, but don't be so strict. Starving, miserable and bored with your meals, aint' gonna get us nowhere!

This has now turned into the longest post I've ever written. : ) Ahhhhh thank you very much!!

Zucchini Hummus

3 medium zucchini

1/2 cup tahini (found at Trader Joes)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil


2 Tablespoons lemon Juice


1 Teaspoon sea salt


1 Teaspoon cumin


1 1/2 Teaspoons crushed garlic


Sprinkle of Paprika (for garnish)

Peel the green skins off the zucchini. Slice peeled zucchini into thin slices or small chunks.

Combine all ingredients except Paprika into food processor and blend until creamy and thick.

If not desired consistency add a little bit of water while blending. Sprinkle with paprika for garnish.

Enjoy!

Inspired by makeeverydayraw.

It's kinda odd, every once and a while one of 'em does actually taste like a potato chip!

Spicy Kale Chips

1 medium bunch kale, washed, stemmed, and chopped into 1-inch pieces OR you can buy this organic and already prepared at Whole Foods, and it wasn't even that expensive.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together olive oil, sea salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Place kale in a large bowl and pour dressing over it, then massage into the leaves with your hands.

Spread kale onto a large baking sheet in a single layer (you may have to do this in batches).

Bake for 10 minutes. Then stir the chips up. Then bake in the oven for another 8 minutes or until the chips turn crispy.

Enjoy!

Cherry tomatoes!! A tangy tastey snack to pop in your mouth!

Paleo PB&J

1 jar almond butter

1 jar apple sauce

spoon

you

Dip spoon into almond butter.

Dip spoon into apple sauce.

Insert in mouth.

Enjoy!

Salty and sweet!! This deluxe duo can be found at Whole Foods.

And finally...Darren's Protein Bars!

A fellow CFLA-er has been cooking up a storm in his own kitchen! Yes, there is sweetener in these bars, Darren is not Paleo-ing strict. Remember what I said folks, enjoy what you eat!

8 Egg whites

1 cup Raw unsweetened coconut

2-3 oz. unsweetened blueberries

1 package raw coco nibs

1lb. whole almonds cut and diced

10oz. almond flour

5 "scoops" pure stevia powder

5-6oz. honey

1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

Mix in BIG bowl, spread out in VERY WELL GREASED glass dish and bake for approximately 25 minutes at 375º. Then remove from oven cool and reheat to "dehydrate" at 290-300 for 35-40 minutes to make firm. Cut and enjoy!

How's that sweet tooth?

Sweet enough to tame your taste buds.

The most challenging part of the Paleo challenge for me is sugar. I've actually had no sugar cravings this past week and a half...that is until last night. My sweet taste buds kicked in and started whining...feed me, feeeeed me!! But don't you worry Sweet Cheekees, I didn't give in! Instead I dug my spoon into a jar of apple sauce (sugar free of course) and satisfied those whiny taste buds with natures natural sugar. Those taste buds were gluttonous though, they ate the whole jar.

Reduction sauce is a great way to squash your craving. It's syrupy, sweet and desert like delicious! You can cook it up with your favorite berry and it can be served over fish, chicken, beef or fruit!

Blueberry Balsamic Reduction Over Salmon

1-2 pounds salmon fillet

2 cups balsamic vinegar

1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen

1 teaspoon dried dill

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook salmon in an oven proof dish for about 15 minutes (depending upon the thickness of your fish) until it flakes easily with a fork.

While the salmon cooks, add the vinegar and blueberries to a saucepan. First bring the sauce to a boil and then turn heat to low. Crush the berries with a fork, but don't worry if you don't get all of them. Stir often for 10-15 minutes or until it is thick and syrupy and the overall volume has been reduced. If you use frozen blueberries you will probably have to cook it for about 5 extra minutes.

Pour sauce over fish and sprinkle with dried dill.

Enjoy!

No Dairy-week two of Paleo Challenge and Orange chicken

orange chicken and steamed broccoli and bok choy

Farewell to the cream in your coffee, the sprinkles of feta on your salad and the beloved butter. This week we are eliminating dairy from our diets! Hooray- The cows can keep their milk this week, and next and the next one too!

Why dairy you ask. Well, as some of you might know we are one of the only populations that continues to drink milk past our years as an infant. Many adults have lactose intolerance, which means they lack the enzyme to digest milk. Not to mention so many of the cows that give us milk are full of antibiotics and hormone which are then passed onto us when we consume their products. If these cows were grass fed and there was no pasteurization process which removes many good things, maybe we could say lets enjoy a glass or two.

What about calcium? Milk and dairy products is where you get it right? There are many better sources to get calcium from, try sesame seeds, flax seeds, many different nuts, green leafy vegetables, sardines and salmon too!! This small list seems good to me!

Are you in love with milk and need a milk replacement? Try coconut milk, almond or other nut milks. Be weary of soy because is has also gone through a lot of processing to be what it is.

Good Luck Sweet Cheeks Paleo Challenge Participants! Now a little poultry recipe to share!

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Orange Chicken

3 chicken breasts (or more depending on who your feeding)

coconut oil

1 tsp crushed garlic

the sauce

Juice of 3 large oranges

1 tsp minced ginger (they sell some at Whole foods)

Small pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

3 tsp coconut flour and enough warm water to dissolve (use small bowl and whisk to dissolve)

1-Cut chicken breast into small pieces.

2-Heat fry pan with coconut oil, then add chicken,

3- While chicken is browning-Juice your three oranges- I cut them and half and squeezed then, also used a wooden spoon to get as much juice out as I could.

4-Mix juice, ginger and seasonings in large bowl, in a smaller bowl dissolve coconut flour in enough water to make creamy paste, when chicken is brown add garlic, and orange juice mixture to pan and let simmer to thicken.

Cook for another 10 min

Steam your favorite vegetables while cooking your chicken- I had broccoli and bok choy on hand! Enjoy this diary free dish and let us know what's happening with you all in the paleo challenge!

Help! I need somebody.

You've signed up for the Paleo challenge with your sails full of wind and your chest puffed out proudly! "I can do this!" you're thinking, until you walk into a grocery store and come screeching to a halt! Your head starts spinning as you look around and the words of meats, nuts, fruits and veggies swirl through your thoughts. "This is too complicated. What do I eat? I can't eat anything! I'm going to starve!!! ARRRGHHH!!!" You turn pale, quickly run out screaming and stop at the closest In N' Out for dinner.

But wait turn around! Go back to the store cause below you will find some shopping lists! These will help to guide you through the isles and before you know it, you will return home with bunches of delicious items that you can easily prepare for Paleo success!

SHOPPING LIST #1 MEALS

Ground turkey

Chicken leg and thigh

Eggs

Uncooked sweet Italian sausage

Ground beef

Salsa Athentica from Trader Joes (contains no sugar)

Can of tomato paste

Almond meal

Coconut milk

Coconut oil found at Whole Foods or at Azukar Organics

Olive oil

Pepper

Sea Salt

Crushed garlic found in Whole Foods or Albertsons (much easier to have on hand for cooking then having to chop the garlic up yourself)

Garlic powder

Chili Powder

Oregano

Curry powder

Red Pepper flakes

Red bell peppers

Zucchini

Onions

Tomatoes

Cauliflower

Carrots

All items can be purchased at Trader Joes unless otherwise specified. The amount of each item you buy depends upon how many recipes you want to cook, how many people you are feeding or how much you want to eat yourself. You can make all of the following recipes from this ingredient list, or mix up your own tasty meals!

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Another Tasty Ball

Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes

Curry Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

Cheese-less Meatza

Stuffed Peppers

SHOPPING LIST #2 MEALS

Oranges

Lemons

Onions

Green onions

Fresh rosemary

Spinach

Avocado

Whole romaine leaves

Lemons

Tomatoes

Broccoli slaw

Green peppers

Slivered almonds

Raisins

Olive oil

Dill

Chili powder

Almond meal

Salsa Athentica

Sea Salt

Pepper

Eggs

Bacon

Salmon filets

Trout filets

Ground turkey

All items can be purchased at Trader Joes unless otherwise specified. The amount of each item you buy depends upon how many recipes you want to cook, how many people you are feeding or how much you want to eat yourself. You can make all of the following recipes from this ingredient list, or mix up your own tasty meals!

Roasted Salmon with Orange Herb Sauce

Rosemary Trout with Spinach

Paleo Fish Tacos

Sweet Cheek Egg Chick Muffins

Paleo Chicken Fried Steak

SHOPPING LIST #3 SNACKS

Trail mix, trail mix, trail mix!

Apple sauce

Fruits

Dried Fruits

Carrot sticks

Cherry tomatoes

Almond butter

Jerky

These are all items that you can munch on without having to prepare anything. More Paleo snack recipes coming soon at Sweet Cheeks HQ!

Eggsellent breakfast idea

Hello Paleo challenge participants! We've told you not to eat your doughnuts, muffins or cereal. So what's a gal to eat? If you carb and sugar loaded latte and muffin aren't in the mix of things, how will you ever survive? hmmmm. What about real food? Something you can make in the comfort of your own home. This really doesn't take long, but, you might have to set the alarm 5 minutes earlier just to get in the swing of things and instead of your Starbucks stop, stop by the store or better yet, the farmers market!

Here at sweet cheeks we rarely have dairy (yes we have ice cream & pizza occasionally, and the cookies we bake often contain butter) but in general you won't find milk or cheese in the fridge at HQ. What about Goat cheese? Well yes, that's a different story. Again, this doesn't happen that often but it's sure is tasty on a salad, mixed with eggs, or better yet, stuffed in a zucchini flower!

I wanted to share this quick breakfast idea before we go dairy free next week. Feel free to jazz it up with whatever you like. Remember, it's your mouth it's going it and you've gotta like it.

Omelet with sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese and fresh basil

What you'll need.

2 or 3 eggs (depends on how much you're eating these days)

small scoop or two of sun-dried tomatoes

1 Scoop of goat cheese crumbled

small handful of fresh basil

salt and pepper

1-Beat your eggs in a bowl

2-preheat your pan to medium heat and add a little pan spray or olive oil

3-Chop your tomatoes and tear up your basil

4-Gently pour your egg mixture into the pan. Cook until a firm layer has formed. Feeling brave? flip it! Not so brave? Add your cheese, basil and tomatoes on half of the egg and flip the other half over to cover. Cook until cheese is melted and egg is firm!

serve it with some fresh fruit and your good!

Enjoy!

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